Volkswagen Global Deliveries Grew By 14.6 % From January to May 2011

The Volkswagen Group reported a further rise in global deliveries from January to May this year. For the first time, deliveries to customers during this period topped the three million mark, running at 3.37 (January – May 2010: 2.94; +14.6 percent) million units. Europe’s largest automaker therefore once again performed noticeably better than the world market (+6.8 percent). May was also a good month, with 708,900 (May 2010: 604,000; +17.4 percent) vehicles handed over to customers.

Group Board member for Sales Christian Klingler said in Wolfsburg on Friday quoted:

“We are very pleased with developments during the first five months of this year. The Volkswagen Group with its very convincing model range is benefiting from brisk demand on global automobile markets,”

Overall, the Group brands delivered 1.56 (1.42; +9.6 percent) million vehicles throughout Europe in the first five months. In Western Europe (excluding Germany), 882,000 (829,800; +6.3 percent) customers took delivery of a new vehicle. The Group brands reported continued high growth in Central and Eastern Europe, delivering 202,300 (156,100; +29.6 percent) units. In Germany, its home market, the Volkswagen Group achieved 8.7 percent growth, delivering 475,100 (437,000) vehicles.

Deliveries on the American continent also increased noticeably. The number of vehicles sold in the North America region grew 19.7 percent in the period to May to 261,600 (218,500) units, of which 172,400 (145,500; +18.5 percent) vehicles were delivered in the U.S. market. The Volkswagen Group handed over 376,800 (344,600; +9.3 percent) vehicles to customers in the South America region during the same period.

The Group also reported a significant rise in deliveries in the Asia / Pacific region, with 1.04 (0.86; +21.6 percent) million vehicles handed over to customers in the period from January to May, of which 921,100 (777,800; +18.4 percent) units were delivered in China, the region’s largest single market. The company also recorded a further very robust increase in the fast growing India market, where 46,200 (13,500; +242.0 percent) vehicles were delivered.